


The Dark Side of the Moon

by affectingly



Category: Star Trek (2009)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-03-25
Updated: 2010-03-25
Packaged: 2017-10-28 17:55:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,197
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/310554
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/affectingly/pseuds/affectingly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Most of the time, Jim thinks, <i>Yeah, I've got this.</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	The Dark Side of the Moon

**Author's Note:**

> Jim-centric, with appearances from the command team.

Most of the time, Jim thinks, _Yeah, I've got this._ When the world goes to hell and they're barely hitting warp 3 and some alien son of a bitch is tailing them, he doesn't sweat it. He's _got_ this.

\--

He slaps the comm on his chair. "Scotty! When I drop us out of warp, you've got less than five minutes to do your magic."

"Aye, Captain!"

Jim can feel Bones watching him from his usual spot to his right. He doesn't look over.

Jim meets Sulu's anxious expression. "Mr. Sulu, switch to impulse power only and bring us about. Lieutenant Uhura, hail the Gorn now. Tell them we wish to discuss the terms of surrender."

"Captain," Uhura says a moment later. "I have them."

\--

It's normal. He thinks about the stress threshold on the _Enterprise's_ hull and the number of people in engineering and the supplies in the Med Bay. He thinks about the percentage of their energy supply dedicated to life support and the statistical likelihood of injuries or fatalities and the skill of his crew.

\--

"On screen."

The ever-sneering face of the Gorn captain appears on the viewscreen. Jim wonders for a moment if the sneering is just a permanent feature of the species but dismisses the idle thought quickly. It doesn't matter either way. This cold-hearted lizard bastard is going down.

The lizard-bastard in question doesn't seem to agree. "So, you wish to surrender now that the might of the Gorn Hegemony has rendered your puny Federation vessel impotent."

\--

It's instinctual. He thinks about every possible maneuver and the number of shuttles in the loading bay and the relative velocity of two objects in motion. He thinks about the last ten times they've skirted death and the ones who didn't and the intricacies of the plan that will save them this time.

\--

He meets the beady, reptilian eyes coolly. "I said I wished to discuss the terms of surrender, but I didn't say _our_ surrender."

The Gorn makes a hideous rattling sound that Jim can't even begin to decipher. "Outrageous! Your shields are down and your weapons are no match for us. What are you playing at human? We will destroy you!"

Jim's fingers curl, grasping the arms of his chair a little tighter. "We have attempted to leave your territory peacefully and yet you pursue us. Any further acts of aggression against this starship will be met with force. This is your last warning. Surrender now and I will arrange for a neutral meeting between your leadership and the Federation."

The Gorn captain rattles again. "Your words are futile and worthless! We will erase you from existence as the Romulans did to Vulcan!"

\--

It's dangerous. He thinks about lightning storms in space and time travel and red matter. He thinks about his dad and no-win scenarios and mind melds. He thinks about the black hole that used to be Vulcan.

\--

Jim narrows his eyes. "You really shouldn't have said that."

"Prepare for destruction," the alien replies and the screen reverts to the view of space with the looming Gorn battleship.

"Captain, they are arming their weapons," Spock reports without a hint of alarm.

"Scotty, now!" Jim barks into the comm as he watches the battleship fire on them, the bright flash of two torpedoes, one after the other, clearly visible. "Sulu, shields at maximum."

The torpedoes hit their mark and the _Enterprise_ shakes with the impact but the shields hold off the majority of the strike. Jim wishes he could see what shock looks like on a Gorn.

"We're ready," Scotty's voice sounds over the ruckus.

"Good work, Mr. Scott. Chekov, get ready to engage the D.E.M."

"D.E.M. set, Keptin," Chekov shouts.

"That was it for our shields, sir," Sulu adds. "We're sitting ducks if they try again."

"They won't have a chance. Chekov, engage."

"Yes, sir!"

Jim finds himself holding his breath, something like dread and conviction twisting in his gut as he waits to see if Scott was able to make the alien tech work properly for the first time. The _Enterprise_ shakes again as the violent flare of the weapon they commandeered arcs like wild electricity from their ship to the Gorn's.

It glows, lights up as if from the inside and then goes completely dark, eerily still even for space. Spock is the first to speak. "Sir, there are no signs of power, even emergency life support systems seem to be non-operational."

\--

It's automatic. Jim thinks about the Prime Directive and First Contact and the mission of Starfleet and the purpose of the Federation. He thinks about the three bands of silver on his shirt sleeves and the souls in his care and the lives aboard the enemy ship.

\--

"How long do they have?" Jim asks.

"Assuming their ship did not lose pressure, it would depend upon the respiration requirements of their species."

"Bones?"

Bones sighs; his mouth is a grim line. "If they're anything like species we've encountered before with similar anatomy, ten to fifteen minutes, but there's no way to know for sure, Jim."

Spock nods once. "The doctor is correct. They may also have individual breathing apparatuses that could prolong that projection."

"Captain, we're receiving a hail, seems to be some sort of personal communication device," Uhura says.

"Put it through." He glances at Uhura and she nods. "This is Captain James T. Kirk. Your ship's power has been disabled. Surrender now and we will enable your life support systems again."

The raspy voice of the Gorn captain filters through the comm system. "Arrogant primate! We will never surrender. I have not contacted you to admit defeat. We will die with pride." The rattling, which Jim now assumes must be their version of laughter, fills the bridge.

Jim hits the disconnect button with excessive force. He stares at the viewscreen for only a moment before making his decision. "Mr. Sulu, fire two photon torpedoes."

"Jim!" Bones starts, gaping at him. "What are you doing?"

Jim meets his shock with calm. "We can't leave them here to possibly regain power and come after us and I won't sit here and wait for them to suffocate. It's a cruel way to die."

"Send a security team! Take over the ship and give the crew a chance for survival."

"That would be illogical, Doctor McCoy. The risk is too great and with the current information we possess regarding the Gorn, an away team would be unlikely to find any willing to accept a rescue. The Captain's orders are… merciful."

Bones throws up his hands, remaining silent, but Jim can feel his disapproval. "Proceed, Mr. Sulu."

He doesn't flinch as he watches the ship explode.

\--

It's simple. He thinks about his ship and his crew, his captaincy and Starfleet. He thinks about the death of billions and the uncertainty of fate. Those are the things that get him and every other person on the _Enterprise_ through. Those are the things that keep them all alive.

If sometimes they come too close to the hard edge of darkness inside of him, Jim doesn't worry about it. He can handle it. He's _got_ this.

Most of the time.

\--


End file.
